Independent Film Sustainability Handbook: Efficiency, sustainability, and cost

Planning for sustainability and setting objectives 

Pre-prep 

• Consider how climate content can make it into your film  
• Establish key sustainability objectives for the production  
• Agree on accounting or data tracking requirements  
• Meet and share sustainability objectives with Head of Departments 

Prep 

• Hold a start-up Meeting 
• Review tracking procedures and deliverables with accounts  
• Submit albert’s Carbon Action Plan  
• Distribute green memo to cast and crew 

Production 

• Implement agreed sustainability initiatives  
• Accounts to track agreed upon data  
• Production to track agreed upon data and evidence in the albert system or in recommended tracker for funder  
• Attend relevant albert training  
• Continue to engage cast and crew, for example through in-shoot survey 

Wrap 

• Organise a meeting to discuss sustainability objectives and key takeaways for future productions  
• Input and finalise data in albert calculator  
• Submit your remaining Carbon Action Plan evidence and receive your albert certification 

Questions to ask yourself when setting objectives: 

• Are they ambitious but realistic? 
• Can they be implemented from prep? 
• Does the setup of the production present any opportunities I’ve not considered? 
• Are the objectives applicable to the size and scale of the production? 
• Do they adhere to, or even go beyond, criteria set by my funder? 
• Will these objectives influence others to engage in environmental decision making on the production? 
• Can these be easily communicated to the respective departments? 

Budgeting for sustainability 

It is crucial that your sustainability efforts and initiatives are considered at budgeting stage. Many environmental impacts can be avoided without additional costs when done early. This is much harder once production plans are already more fixed. This is particularly important for independent features, where clever sustainability planning will help you save, rather than spend, the production’s budget.